Landing in Japan
Japan is one of the smoothest landings in the world: orderly airports, trains that run to the minute, IC cards that tap you through almost everything, and a convenience store on every corner. The first hour still rewards a plan — pick your airport, get connected, get yen, and get into town. This hub covers the country-level rules; the city guides below carry the first-hour detail.
In this guide
Entry & Borders
Most visitors enter Japan visa-free for up to 90 days, including passport holders from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the EU, Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile. A few nationalities get shorter stays — check the official list for yours before you book.
Your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay. Japanese immigration does not impose a 6-month validity rule, though airlines may ask for an onward ticket.
Visit Japan Web is a free service that speeds up arrival: register your passport and flight, complete the digital disembarkation card and customs declaration, and show the QR code at immigration and customs. It is not a visa — it just makes the airport faster.
JESTA, Japan's pre-travel authorisation, is law and targeted for fiscal 2028 (April 2028–March 2029). It is NOT required for travel in 2026 or 2027, and there is no application to submit. No fee is printed here — the fee has not been settled.
Money
The currency is the yen (JPY). Cards cover hotels, department stores, and chain restaurants, but cash is still expected at many small restaurants, rural inns, temples, and shrines. Carry cash as your default outside major chains and cities.
Get yen from an ATM that accepts foreign cards: Seven Bank machines inside 7-Eleven stores, Japan Post Bank machines at post offices, Lawson Bank, and AEON Bank. Most other Japanese bank ATMs do not accept foreign-issued cards. When an ATM or terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, always choose yen instead — the conversion it offers is never in your favour.
There is no tipping in Japan. Service is included, and leaving cash can cause confusion.
Staying Connected
A travel eSIM bought before you fly is the simplest default: you are online the moment you land, with no counter and no ID check, and one profile can cover the whole trip. Most tourist eSIMs are data-only, so calls go over WhatsApp, FaceTime, or similar apps.
Buying a local carrier SIM or eSIM inside Japan is different: since 1 April 2026, every SIM and eSIM sold by a Japan-based provider requires an ID check — for visitors, a passport plus an eKYC verification step, usually a passport photo uploaded through an app or at the counter.
Pocket Wi-Fi routers are still rented at airports if your phone does not support eSIM. Check your home carrier's roaming rates before relying on them — and if you keep your home SIM active alongside a travel eSIM, bank codes and two-factor texts still reach you.
Getting Around
- Japan Rail Pass — A 7-day nationwide pass runs about ¥50,000 — roughly double a Tokyo–Kyoto round trip — so it only pays off on train-heavy itineraries with multiple long-distance rides. Prices vary by sales channel, so check current pass prices before buying. The pass does not cover Nozomi or Mizuho trains without a paid supplement; Hikari, Sakura, and Kodama services are fully covered. Regional passes often beat the national one for single-region trips.
- IC cards — Whatever you decide on the pass, get an IC card (Suica, Pasmo, ICOCA — all nationally interoperable). It taps you through trains, buses, convenience stores, and vending machines, and covers the metro and private railways the JR Pass does not.
- Shinkansen — Bullet trains link the main cities: Tokyo–Kyoto in about 2 hours 40 minutes on the Hikari. Reserve seats on busy routes and in peak seasons.
- Buses — Local buses fill the gaps IC cards already cover, and highway buses connect cities the Shinkansen does not reach. IC cards work on most city buses.
- Taxis — Metered and available at stands and via apps. Fares add up fast in cities — trains and metro are usually the better first-hour move.
Where to Land First
- Tokyo — The cleanest first landing in Japan: Skyliner or N'EX into town, an IC card in your phone, Sensō-ji and Shibuya on day one.
- Kyoto — Temples, a walkable centre, and a gentler pace than Tokyo — the best first taste of old Japan.
- Osaka — Japan's kitchen: street food, a castle, and a short train ride from Kyoto.
- Sapporo — Hokkaido's gateway city: ramen, beer, snow, and a compact centre that is easy to navigate on day one.
Back to the Region
Back to Landing in Asia & Pacific — the region hub for the rest of Asia & Pacific.
Affiliate disclosure: hotel names, transfers, and experiences linked in this guide may earn After You Land a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and times were checked in Oct 2026 and change often — confirm before you book.